United States free speech exceptions

In the United States Constitution, it says that everyone has the right to express themselves freely. This means that people can say and write whatever they want without fear of punishment by the government. But there are some exceptions. Sometimes the government can limit people from saying some things if it believes that it will cause harm. These exceptions include things such as shouting "fire" in a crowded theater when there is no fire, or making threats to harm someone, or exchanging words that are considered offensive or hateful. These types of speech are not protected by the Constitution and the person can be punished by the government.